NAME BRAND JUSTIFICATION_JPS.pdf

NATIONAL GUARD BUREAU

UNITED STATES PROPERTY AND FISCAL OFFICER FOR KENTUCKY

120 MINUTEMAN PARKWAY

FRANKFORT, KY 40601-6192

NGKY-PFO-PC 25 June 2025

BRAND NAME JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL

PCF Cabinet # PANNGB-25-P-0000 0012878

1. Agency/Contracting Activity: Purchasing and Contracting USPFO for KY

2. Description of Action being approved:

The Kentucky Army National Guard (NGKY) intends to issue a brand name, firm fixed price contract for radio interoperability equipment to be utilized in the performance of Emergency Support Operations missions.

3. Description of Product, Supplies or Services:

This procurement is for JPS interoperability equipment consisting of quantity of (2) Z- Series controllers, (7) RSP-Z2’s, (1) MCC-4 Desktop Console and (2) MCC-8 Desktop Consoles.

4. An identification of the statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition:

The Statutory Authority for this action is 11.105(a)(1) The particular brand name, product, or feature is essential to the Government’s requirements, and market research indicates other companies’ similar products, or products lacking the particular feature, do not meet, or cannot be modified to meet, the agency’s needs.

5. Identification of the Justification Rationale:

The G6 Mission Command Division for Kentucky manages the Land Mobile Radio (LMR) operations for the Kentucky National Guard. Through this management they must ensure the radio equipment is interoperable with Federal, Kentucky Early Warning System (KEWS), Kentucky Education Television (KET), Kentucky State Police (KSP), and Emergency Management (EM) along with several local County public safety agencies. Additionally, NGKY must ensure the equipment operates within their established radio network program and is able to operate on the federal radio system.

Through years of experience and testing the Mission Command Division has established an advance LMR program. The Mission Command Division maintains and repairs radio equipment.

NGKY Mission Command Division has built a stable, reliable, and robust network using JPS infrastructure equipment. Deviating from that standard will result in loss of efficiencies as indicated below:

1. Integration with current JPS based infrastructure will be seamless. JPS gateways are designed to connect various communication platforms, including two-way radios (LMR), cellular networks and push to talk over cellular applications, dispatch consoles, VoIP phones and satellite communications. JPS utilizes their proprietary RoIP technology to facilitate voice communication over non-proprietary TCP/IP networks, offering a secure and cost-effective way to enhance LMR capabilities. There is no other manufacturers equipment that will integrate into our current DMARCS system which consists of 13 areas throughout the state of Kentucky with Motorola repeaters and gateways allowing interoperability. NGKY has spent over $3 million dollars upgrading the infrastructure and introducing the JPS equipment will expand our capability and functionality and forward elements by providing point to point communications during missions. This expansion will further expand the crossbanding capabilities between agencies (i.e.

Kentucky State Police, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, state, county and local fire and rescue as well as the Kentucky National Guard).

2. DoD Instruction 8330.01 Interoperability of Information Management Technology (IT), including National Security Systems (NSS), do not allow managed equipment from different manufacturers to reside on the same network because the mixing of equipment of this nature is not tested and would not meet Risk Management Framework (RMF) requirements. Using multiple manufacturers would require the establishment of parallel network structures to be compliant with applicable security and cyber regulations.

However, DoDI 8330.01 prohibits the establishment of parallel networks.

Standardizing hardware enables support staff to efficiently troubleshoot and resolve communications issues. Introducing another manufacturer will add an additional layer of complexity when a cross manufacturer troubleshooting issue arises. Experience dictates vendors for the manufactured equipment will blame the others equipment for the malfunction and may result in longer repair times. Currently, the support staff maintains 10 JPS devices that fills the niche of radio cross banding and interoperability.

6. Best Value Determination: Orders issued under this brand name justification represent the best value based upon market research and federal regulations and regulatory requirements.

7. Market Research Conducted:

Market research was conducted 6 January 2025 – 1 June 2025.

8. Statement of actions, if any, to remove barriers to competition in the future:

None.

9. Any other facts supporting justification:

None.

Stephen D. Ramsey Contracting Officer